Nut for stringed musical instruments



Feb. 27, 1940. E. A. SCHREI BER NUT FOR STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTSFiled Jan. 12, 1939 Patented Feb. 27, 1940 UNITED STATES rarest OFFiCENUT FOR STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Elmer A. Schreiber, Albert Lea,Minn. 1 Application January 12, 1939, Serial No. 250,650

4 Claims.

pitch due to the fact that the strings stick in the slots of the nut andmove only intermittently and with jerks so that the strings usually donot reach the correct pitch but are either a little flat or a littlesharp. This is especially true where the strings have been in use for aconsiderable length of time. Furthermore, after the instrument is tunedthe strings are usually stuck in the slots of the nut so that they arenot taut between the nut and tuning pegs or keys so that after thestrings have been picked for a little while they pull loose and are soonout of tune.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a nut having meanswhereby the strings of a musical instrument after they have once beenstretched, which requires only a few hours, may be tuned to the exactpitch and will stay in tune for a much longer period than stringsstretched over the type of nuts heretofore in use.

Still a further aim of the invention is to provide an improved nut bymeans of which the pitch or tone of the strings may be raised or loweredsmoothly and evenly to enable the artist to quickly and readily obtainthe proper pitch for each string.

More particularly, it is an object of this invention to provide a nutadapted to be removably mounted on the conventional nut of a stringedinstrument, such as a guitar, and which is provided with a plurality ofrotatably mounted rollers each provided with a groove to receive astring so that the strings may be readily moved relatively to the nut toprevent frictional engagement between the strings and nut.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter becomemore fully apparent from the following description of the drawing, whichillustrates a preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Figure l is an end view in elevation of the invention shown mounted onthe nut of a stringed musical instrument, which is shown fragmentarilyand partly in section and partly in elevation,

Figure 2 is a top plan view, on an enlarged scale, 01' the invention,

Figure 3 is an end View in elevation of the same, and

Figures 4 and 5 are transverse vertical sectional views taken along thelines 4-4 and 5--5, respectively, of Figure 2. 5

Referring more particularly to the drawing, wherein like referencecharacters designate like or corresponding parts throughout thedifierent views, it designates generally a portion of a stringedinstrument such as a guitar which includes a portion of the neck thereofdesignated H, a portion of the pegbox designated l2, and theconventional nut, designated 13. These parts are of conventionalconstruction and are shown merely to illustrate the invention which willhereinafter be described.

The invention comprises a demountable nut, designated generally I l, andincluding the meme her it having the intermediate portion I 6 and thespaced depending legs i1 and I8. Legs ll and 58 have the inner sides I9and 20, respectively, which are disposed diagonally to. the underside iiof the intermediate portion l6 and which are disposed in outwardlydiverging relationship relatively to each other. The member [5 isadapted to be removably mounted on the nut l3 with its portion 2|resting on the top edge of the nut l3 and with the side 19 of leg I!disposed against the back side of the nut l3 and the side 2!! of leg i8disposed against the front side of nut I 3 to removably mount the memberl5 thereon. The relative length of the legs l7 and I8 and the angle oftheir sides 19 and 20 as well as the width of the bottom portion 2| mayvary depending upon the precise size and shape of the nut on which themember I5 is adapted to be mounted, which may vary in difierentinstruments, so that the particular shape'and size of the member !5 mayobviously be varied and its shape as shown is merely intended toillustrate 40 its application with the nut l3 of conventional shape.

The intermediate or head portion I 6 is provided with a plurality ofspaced transverse slots 22 which preferably extend into the legs I! andI8 and through the bottom edge 2| of portion 16. Portion i6 is dividedby the slots 22 into a plurality of spaced bridges 23 each of which isprovided with an alined opening 24 having a restricted S101; 25, formedby the lip 26, which opens outwardly of the top thereof.

A shaft 21 extends through the alined openings 24 of the bridges 23 andis preferably secured fast therein, with spaced apart portions of theshaft 27 extending through the slots 22. A plurality of rollers 28 arejournaled on the shaft 2'! with one of the rollers disposed within eachof the slots 22. Rollers 23 are provided with the annular grooves 29 intheir peripheries to receive the strings of the guitar or instrument 10,a portion of one of which is shown at 30, in Figure 1.

From the foregoing it will be seen, that the nut 14 is adapted to beremovably mounted on the nut l3 to support a plurality of strings 30each of which extends through a groove 29 of one of the rollers 28. Thetension of the strings 39 will be sufiicient to retain the nut M inposition on the instrument l0, and the sides l9 and 26 may also providea sufiiciently tight fit to hold the nut 14 against accidental movementrelatively to the nut l3. It will thus be seen that the strings 363 maybe readily tightened or loosened by the pegs or keys, not shown, and asthe strings move relatively to the nut I4 the roller 28 supporting thestrings will be revolved to thereby prevent the strings from sticking inthe grooves 29.

Nut M has been shown as having six slots and six rollers and is adaptedfor use on six stringed instruments such as a guitar. Obviously, the nut14 could be provided with a greater or less number of slots and rollersdepending upon the type of instrument with which it is to be used andthe number of strings that the instrument is provided with.

Various modifications and changes in the precise construction andarrangement of the parts forming the invention are contemplated and mayobviously be resorted to, and the right is there fore expressly reservedto make such variations and changes as do not depart from the spirit andscope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A detachable nut for stringed musical instruments comprising a headportion having depending spaced legs adapted to engage the nut of amusical instrument and to be removably mounted thereon, said headportion having a plurality of transverse slots, a shaft mounted iri saidhead portion and disposed longitudinally thereof, said shaft extendingthrough each of said slots, a plurality of rollers journaled on saidshaft and disposed in said slots, and the periphery of each of saidrollers being grooved.

2. A demountable guitar nut comprising a member provided with alongitudinal outwardly diverging groove in its underside formingdepending spaced sides adapted to removably engage the nut of a stringedinstrument, the upper portion of said member being provided with aplurality of transverse slots, a shaft disposed in said member andextending transversely through each of said slots, and a plurality ofgrooved rollers journaled on said shaft, one of said rollers beingdisposed within each of said slots.

3. An attachment for stringed musical instruments, said attachmentcomprising a member provided with depending spaced side portions adaptedto demountably engage a nut of a stringed instrument, the upper portionof said member being provided with a plurality of spaced transverseslots, a shaft extending through said upper portion and through each ofsaid slots, and a plurality of grooved rollers journaled on said shaftand disposed within said slots.

4. A demountable nut for stringed musical instruments, comprising amember provided with a longitudinal groove in its underside, extendingthe length thereof and diverging outwardly to removably engage the nutof a stringed instrument, said member having a plurality of spacedtransverse slots in its top forming spaced ribs therebetween, said ribshaving corresponding alined openings provided with restricted slotsopening outwardly of the tops of said ribs, a shaft mounted in saidalined openings and extending through the transverse slots, and aplurality of rollers, having grooved peripheries, journaled on saidshaft, one of said rollers being rotatably mounted in each of saidtransverse slots ELMER A. SCHREIBER.

